Revelation 20:5

[Karl Kozlowski]

In recent months I’ve been exposed to the developing “Satan’s Little Season” Eschatology, which teaches that we’ve been in that period of history for at least 2-and-a-half centuries (if not a little over 4 centuries). I see enough details between the doctrine of Chiliasm (which—correct me if I’ve misunderstood this—has the end of the 7,000th year coinciding with the Lake of Fire being cleansed (Jeremiah 31:40) once the Great White Throne judgment has ended), Ezekiel 38:1-39:16, and Revelation 20 to conclude that “Satan’s Little Season” will last less than half a year (1 Corinthians 15:52, Leviticus 25:8-10, Ezekiel 39:12, Revelation 20:3,7,13).

But one of the ways they try to break down this Biblical timeline is that Revelation 20:5 simply reads “This is the first resurrection.” (no implication of the general resurrection occurring within a year of Satan’s release) in the Peshitta. I’ve done enough research on Peshitta Primacy claims to know that the case for it relies on an absurd amount of selective presentation of evidence, but then I came across someone else pointing out that Codex Sinaiticus agrees with the Peshitta here. I know Codex Alexandrinus has the reading the LGV follows, and that Revelation 5:9-10 demonstrates this wouldn’t be the only time Sinaiticus was wrong and Alexandrinus was right.

But does anyone know the LGV’s justification for including “(But the rest of the dead do not come to life until the thousand years should expire).” in Revelation 20:5? Is there an early patristic quotation I’m overlooking? I tried looking up Victorinus’ Commentary on the Apocalypse, but while the key phrase is present in Jerome’s version of the text, the earlier version found in 1918 doesn’t seem to have it. Seriously, what am I overlooking?

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